Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-10-13
coNJURERs' MisHAPs.
eIeight-of-Hand Tricks That Proved X
pensive to Their Performers.

mIonAFS.
sIeight-of Hand Tricks That Proved Nv.
pensive to Their Performers.
Conjurers, despite the 'quickness Of
hand they usually get credit for,
make some awkward and most anus
Ing plumbers. But they have this in
their favor. that the audience seldom
know of the mishap that has occurred.
AS is well known, great many OF
the articles to be performed with are
borrowed from the audience such as
watches, bank notes, rings, handker-
chiefs, ETC., and the owners of these
articles should not be surprised If they
receive them back in damaged condi-
ton, when the treatment they are SUBJ
lected TO is taken into consideration.
They are supposed to be smashed,
burned, or in some manner destroyed.
and then mysteriously put to rights
again; and. although sensible people
know full well that the genuine article
has not really been destroyed. but that
substitution has been adroitly effect
ed, still the process of substitution is
often attended with great risk to the
articles operated upon-such as drop
ping them quickly into the operator s
pocket, or into traps, or slipping
them into an assistants hand.
A conjurer performing recently in
the south of Scotland asked for the
loan OF watch. A gentleman lent
him valuable gold chronometer A
wonderful trick was performed with
it. and the audience accorded the per.
former heavy round of applause;
but when the gentleman got his watch
back note was slipped into his hand
intimating that his watch had been
damaged, but he would be compen-
stated for it at the close of the enter
tainment. The watch was indeed dam
aged-it was irretrievable ruined,
but the performer paid the
owner its full price. Some
performers have been most
unfortunate in this way We know
one who had to pay the full price for
damaged watches three times in as
many years. and each time owing to
the gross carelessness of his assistant.
A few years ago a young conjuror
who has since acquired some celeb
rity gave his first public entertain
ment, and was assisted behind the
scenes by some kind friends. The
loan of bank note was requested,
and one for twenty pounds was hand.
ed to the performer. This he success
fully substituted for sham note,
passing the genuine one, by means Of
a trap in his table, to his assistants
behind. He then proceeded to burn
the duplicate at the flame of candle.
all the while enjoying the discontinue
of the lender, who apparently fully be-
lieved that his twenty pound note was
being destroyed, and who was heard
to remark: "If l had known
he was going to do that with
it he shouldn't have got it"
But the performers enjoyment at the
lenders anxiety was of short dura.
ton, for when the act of restoration
came about he discovered to his hor-
ror that his friends had as completely
destroyed the genuine note as he had
the sham one. An explanation was
made to the lender, the audience knew
nothing of the disaster, and before the
conclusion of the entertainment the
lender was compensated for his loss.
Prof G., hailing from the North Of
Scotland, had acquired great dexterity
in his manipulation of eggs, with
which he performed anumber of really
clever illusions. In practicing these
feats he generally used hard boiled
eggs, but he very carelessly allowed
several unboiled eggs to get mixed up
with the boiled ones, so that after
some time he could not tell the boiled
from the unboiled. He was punished
for his carelessness in way he little
dreamed Of He was engaged to per-
form at a Christmas party held at the
mansion of the Lord Provost of Q
Scotch city. His audience on that oc'
casion was the most fashionable to
which he had performed either before
or since.
His first experiment consisted in cx'
tracing eggs from the flame of 6
candle that stood upon his table.
Three eggs were successfully produced
which he proceeded. as was his custom
to hand around to prove their genuine
ness; but in handing one of them 10 g
gentleman to examine he allowed one
of the others to fall, which, striking OF
the knee of a lady, broke and be-
smeared her dress.
The egg having been long in the per-
formers possession was considerably
stale" A disagreeable and sicken
ing odor speedily filled the apartment
handkerchiefs and smelling bottles
were brought into requisition. the
young lady had to retire and change
her dress, which she never wore again
the other ladies also quilted the apart
ment and the entertainment was
brought 10 an abrupt termination. =
London Tyd-Bits.